Durban Trip and JoBurg 2nd Ward (19 July 2009)

THOUGHTS FROM ELDER WELLS

This week we traveled to Durban again for an all-zone conference with the 125 or so missionaries of the South Africa Durban Mission. Sister Wells and I presented a workshop on coping with stress, and I visited with six missionaries to touch base on how they are coming along.

Fourteen of the total missionary group (7 couples) are senior missionaries, retired men and women from Seattle or Laramie or Indianapolis or St. George, who work in the far flung branches and “twigs” of the Durban Mission. Some are “employment” missionaries whose entire time is spend helping people learn how to get—and keep—jobs, some in PEF (Perpetual Education Fund) where they qualify and then make loans to young people to be able to afford an advanced education (you and I have donated to that fund to make it possible), some in Humanitarian Services where they seek out projects simply to bless people’s lives with wheel chairs, measles inoculation projects, or funding of drilling of wells in rural areas. And some are proselyting missionaries who work with the young missionaries and growing Church membership in townships and villages.

The remainder of the missionaries are, of course, young men ages 19 to 26 from the US, other parts of Africa, or other parts of the world. It is so fascinating to see these young men from so many different countries and cultures so glad to see each other, slapping backs, hugging each other, wanting to put their arms around just about everyone there.
They have a great love for their peer leaders, black and white. When we were here last, Elder Schlenker was the assistant; he is going home next week. The assistant this time is Elder Nan’gilla, a handsome reserved missionary from Kenya. A year ago, about 80% of the young missionaries were white; now 80% are black elders, many of whom have been in the Church for just a few years. They are all great young men, and one can sense that the leadership training they receive here will be just a first step in a life of service in the Church in Africa. I counseled with a young elder from Madagascar earlier in the day. I had such a strong feeling that his struggles were being watched over by the Lord because he is to prepare to be a lifelong servant of the Lord among his people. I felt like a patriarch as I counseled with him, trying to tell him of the promises I could feel in him.


NOTES FROM OUR SUNDAY MEETING
We returned home to Johannesburg quite late; consequently, by the time we were up it was too late to attend the Tembisa ward, our township ward about 40 minutes drive away. (If I understand correctly, townships are communities that have come into being because people have simply squatted on the land, beginning as shanty towns made of corrugated tin and salvaged wood.

Over time people have built houses there, but corners of the community continue to grow up from shanty towns because there are so many thousands of refugees who have fled their own war torn countries.)

The homes around the Tembisa Ward are mostly on this order. After the rough bricking, they are covered with stucco and painted. Many never quite get to that completed stage.

So, we went with Elder and Sister Wright back to the Johannesburg 2nd Ward, a ward we served in until January of this year. The Johannesburg ward (recently divided into JoBurg 1st and 2nd) is the central city ward area, probably the oldest ward in the city and has a large number of refugees from other countries.

Today the young missionaries and the bishop spoke.
Elder Mashashishi, a quiet unprepossessing elder by looks gave one of the best missionary talks I have ever heard.

My notes: Brothers and Sisters, I congratulate you for being here this morning so early. How many who should be here are still sleeping? They say, “We have to work every other day. It is our only day to catch up on our sleep, do our laundry, go shopping, etc." That may all be true. But when are they going to worship the Lord? What will their lives be like if they only work and sleep and do laundry and never learn to know God? Jeremiah 16 tells us that he will choose fishers of men and hunters of men who will gather them to Him. I am here to hunt people, to help them know the truth. Where are the Lord’s hunters? You, too, are to be His hunters and fishers. How are people going to learn the truth if you don’t share it? If you learn the truth and then preserve it only for yourself, you will be as the servant given the one talent who buried it in the ground. The Lord will take away that which you have and give it to someone else who will magnify his talents.

My Brothers and Sisters, I urge you to do your part. If you invite only one person a week to come to church with you, you will see how God will strengthen your life. I am here to say the truth. I don’t say what I want to say, and I don’t do what I want to do. I say what the Lord wants me to say. You, too, can say what He wants you to say.

Next, Elder Wendt from Wisconsin introduced himself, a missionary new to the ward. He talked about how, following the feeding of the five thousand, the Savior sent the disciples to cross the sea of Galilee while he remained by himself to pray. Part of what I took from the talk was the reminder that even the Savior needed time to rest, to be refreshed by his communion with the Father.

Then, in the night, the disciples who were on the water were struggling. The Savior was on the hillside and saw that they were in need of help. They couldn't see him and didn't know he was watching. But he left the mountain and went to them to give them aid and comfort. He walked upon the sea to reach them. In other words, our Savior’s eyes are always upon us. He can see our struggles and will come to us when it is expedient. And when he comes to us, he can come in ways we would not imagine. When he came to them, the wind ceased. When he comes to us the storm ceases. I believe with Elder Wendt that the Savior is watching over us. He knows when we need him, and he will come to succor us, often in ways we do not expect, and often in ways we may not recognize.

Bishop Thlothlo, a young bishop with two small children, talked of the atonement and the grace of the Savior.

(Bishop Thlotho, left, JoBurg 2nd Ward, and Bishop Mulombo, 1st Ward)

(From Alma 7) The Savior has suffered the pains and sicknesses of His people. He has felt it. He has taken upon Himself all our afflictions that He might know how to comfort you and me. The Savior is calling for us to come to Him. Go to the Savior with your pains, Brothers and Sisters.

He told a story of a sister missionary who served with him who sent a letter to their mission president, her usual weekly letter. She told of how she and her companion, in complete obedience, prepared for a day of searching out inactive sisters. They worked and walked all day and found no one. Appointment after appointment fell through. At the end of the day, she felt that they had accomplished absolutely nothing. She was so discouraged and exhausted, she felt that she just couldn’t do what she knew she was supposed to do. And she knew they had planned to walk a long way out to another township to do the same thing the next day. As they walked home, she began to cry. She quietly told the Lord that she loved Him but that she just couldn’t do what He wanted her to do. As she walked and prayed, she suddenly saw herself kneeling before God telling Him of her love, but also of her lack of strength and ability. Then suddenly she saw and felt the Savior kneeling next to her. He said to Father in Heaven, “Father, I love her so much. I will make up for all that she can’t do.” With that strength she knew that she could do all things in Christ (Phillipians 4: 13).

Once more I have been taught in this great land by His Saints of this latter day. 2 Nephi 25:23 is true. I hope that I and each of you will have ears to hear.
Love, Dad